Someday I fear health insurance will be a thing of the past.

[DISNEYSIX]

I think that the majority of Americans would love to have a National Health Care System that covered everyone, but the problem is that we just don't trust our government to run it efficiently and that is why most are vehemently opposed to it.

 

[thomas998]

Nope - no food for thought. Having a baby is not required to LIVE - having chemo IS. The selfishness of people wanting an insurance company to cover fertility treatments is astonishing! The health care system is in bad shape and I can't justify spending money on such things when there are some who cannot even get basic care.

Actually the reasons against fertility treatment are much more than that... In a country where you have a abundance of children that could be adopted why waste money on creating more kids? Not to mention in the vast majority of couples with fertility issues there is a genetic reason for the infertility, it is natures way of keeping that problem from multiplying in keeping the person with the defect from reproducing, by jumping past nature you aren't fixing the genetic defect you are only making sure it has a chance to pass to another human - the child the couple have. Now in a few cases where the infertility was caused by an accident or other outside force you might make an argument for the treatment... but not in the majority. Spend the resources on helping someone that is already alive and trying to live instead of squandering resources trying to play god.

 

[DeniseinNS]

I think there are a lot less Canadians than you think who would trade. The founder of our healthcare system was voted in as the Greatest Canadian during a national contest. Majority of us love the healthcare system.

Not sure why you think we are all so unhappy with it?

 

[justbishop]

I think there are a lot less Canadians than you think who would trade. The founder of our healthcare system was voted in as the Greatest Canadian during a national contest. Majority of us love the healthcare system.

Not sure why you think we are all so unhappy with it?

No no no, I think you misunderstood my post that you quoted. I was saying that I have yet to hear a Canadian say that they would trade their system for ours (meaning I doubt that this mythical majority of NHS-hating Canadians actually exists)

 

[DeniseinNS]

It's so funny how the Canadians who apparently would trade their system for ours are never vocal enough to post in these types of threads (or any types of threads that I've read...on many different forums, Facebook, blogs, etc.)

that's likely because most of us would NOT want to trade our healthcare for yours. Why would they????? I would never want to trade the healthcare that I get in Canada! It makes me feel good to know that if something happens doctors will take care of me and i won't have to spend my whole life paying the medical bill. Yes, there can be waits for things but if it's something that requires urgent attention they get you in very quickly.


I think this is a great article about our healthcare vs that of heathcare in the USA http://bobaagard.blogspot.com/2009/07/health-care-canada-vs-us.html
Myth: Taxes in Canada are extremely high, mostly because of national health care.

In actuality, taxes are nearly equal on both sides of the border. Overall, Canada's taxes are slightly higher than those in the U.S. However, Canadians are afforded many benefits for their tax dollars, even beyond health care (e.g., tax credits, family allowance, cheaper higher education), so the end result is a wash. At the end of the day, the average after-tax income of Canadian workers is equal to about 82 percent of their gross pay. In the U.S., that average is 81.9 percent.

 

[justbishop]

Again, I am agreeing with you. It is my opinion that Canadians would never want to trade their NHS for our privately owned, for-profit US healthcare system.

And just for future reference:

I WOULD GREATLY PREFER CANADA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE US

Please disregard my previous post if you are understanding it to mean the contrary! It was directed at the poster(s) claiming that there is a large group of Canadians who would trade, and was meant to imply that most Canadians DO in fact prefer their system to ours.

 

[Judyat]

I would love a National Health care system for all and I would be happy to pay more to see it happen. I do trust our government. Seniors love medicare. I believe health coverage should start when you are born and end when you die. It's disgusting what some people pay for coverage. When will it end. It won't end until everyone is covered with a plan like medicare. Take the profit out of it because costs will continue to escalate until we do.

 

[DeniseinNS]

Again, I am agreeing with you. It is my opinion that Canadians would never want to trade their NHS for our privately owned, for-profit US healthcare system.

And just for future reference:

I WOULD GREATLY PREFER CANADA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE US

Please disregard my previous post if you are understanding it to mean the contrary! It was directed at the poster(s) claiming that there is a large group of Canadians who would trade, and was meant to imply that most Canadians DO in fact prefer their system to ours.

got it, I had totally misunderstood your post.

 

[CdnCarrie]

No no no, I think you misunderstood my post that you quoted. I was saying that I have yet to hear a Canadian say that they would trade their system for ours (meaning I doubt that this mythical majority of NHS-hating Canadians actually exists)

Gotcha. Oh trust me there are lots of disgruntled whiners up here.

 

[justbishop]

Gotcha. Oh trust me there are lots of disgruntled whiners up here.

Well tell them to move here, diligently pay their taxes AND their monthly insurance premiums, and then pony up thousands out of pocket on top of it all when they want to have a baby or a medical emergency as commonplace as appendicitis, and see if they change their tune at all.

 

[ilovemk76]

that's likely because most of us would NOT want to trade our healthcare for yours. Why would they????? I would never want to trade the healthcare that I get in Canada! It makes me feel good to know that if something happens doctors will take care of me and i won't have to spend my whole life paying the medical bill. Yes, there can be waits for things but if it's something that requires urgent attention they get you in very quickly.


I think this is a great article about our healthcare vs that of heathcare in the USA http://bobaagard.blogspot.com/2009/07/health-care-canada-vs-us.html
Myth: Taxes in Canada are extremely high, mostly because of national health care.

In actuality, taxes are nearly equal on both sides of the border. Overall, Canada's taxes are slightly higher than those in the U.S. However, Canadians are afforded many benefits for their tax dollars, even beyond health care (e.g., tax credits, family allowance, cheaper higher education), so the end result is a wash. At the end of the day, the average after-tax income of Canadian workers is equal to about 82 percent of their gross pay. In the U.S., that average is 81.9 percent.

Do 50% of Canadians pay 0% in income taxes? In the US that is the case. There is no way we can afford UHC with only hald the population paying all the costs. The majority of the ones who want free healthcare really see it as free as they get lost of stuff for free. That group would have to pay money and would be up in arms then.

You are misinformed that we all go bankrupt and lose all of our homes for a medical problem. My nephew is in his mid 20s and had cancer that resulted in his needing a transplant. The transplant alone was over $300K. Less than a year after his transplant he bought a house and he did not go bankrupt.

 

[ccgirl]

Didn't read all of the posts. Just want to give my thoughts....

I live in MA so we are required to carry insurance. I have been lucky that all insurances I have been on have been what I would consider excellent. Currently, I pay $250 a month for medical/dental/vision for my family. However, for the first time we are not covered at 100%. Only 80% but there is a $5,000 stop loss meaning my family would never have to pay more than $5,000 in a calendar year.

It is not the insurance company telling the doctors/hospitals etc what they will charge; the doctors set their own prices and the insurance companies will let them know what they reimburse. I have switched providers because I thought their fees were too high. Some providers negotiate better contracts with insurance companies than others.

 

[CdnCarrie]

You are misinformed that we all go bankrupt and lose all of our homes for a medical problem. My nephew is in his mid 20s and had cancer that resulted in his needing a transplant. The transplant alone was over $300K. Less than a year after his transplant he bought a house and he did not go bankrupt.

No one is saying that. There are just as many rumors and myths about the U.S. system in Canada as there are rumors and myths about the Canadian healthcare system in the U.S.

 

[ccgirl]

My company has over 100 open full time IT positions right now that we can't fill because we can't find qualified people to do the work. Believe me, the jobs are there.

And, by contrast, my company gets over 100 applicants for one job opening. I think it really depends on where you are living.

I think another issue is the people that abuse healthcare. I have a family member that rushes their child to the ER for a runny nose or earache. I ask why she doesn't want to go to the dr's...she doesn't feel like it and she's not the only one I have seen that does that. There are many things that my insurance covers that I disagree with. But, I am very thankful to have the health insurance.

 

[Juliet25]

Actually a LOT of American infertility - my own included - IS due to our own actions. Childbearing years are coming a lot later as we pursue careers and a lot more people have trouble getting pregnant in their early 30s than you would think. And there are a LOT of cancers- my own included - that we could have done nothing to prevent.

I agree. It's incredible how many people consider themselves infertile. I had my first kid at 26; my second came at 31, and she took a lot longer to conceive. A big cause of that was that I gained a lot of weight in my late 20's and that disrupted my cycles (sorry, TMI ). When I went on WW and brought myself down to a normal weight, I got pregnant. Anyway, I thought I was infertile, but I was just fat and getting (biologically) old. Still, message boards are rife with "infertile" people who freak out if they don't get pregnant within 3 months of trying. Once you hit you're 30's, it's pretty common to struggle with getting pregnant; that doesn't mean that it requires expensive medical intervention. Sometimes patience is all that's needed. I believe that the medical definition of infertility is one year of trying under 35, and six months after 35. I can tell you from experience with my peers that very, very few people wait that long before declaring themselves infertile.

This isn't to downplay the experience of those who deal with infertility. For those who meet the medical definition of the condition, I know it's heartbreaking.

 

[angwill]

One addition: Those countries who run their universal health care systems for less than we pay here in America NEVER develop any new medicines or procedures. Those things are developed here, on our dime, then other countries adopt them. So while I don't disagree with what you're saying, we do want medicine to move forward, we do want new treatments for painful diseases, and that takes money.

My husband lived in Germany and his sister and our nieces still live there. My niece has had diabetes from birth and I can tell you first hand that Germany has research going on in their country. Their doctors are excellent and not lacking either. She had an insulin pump implanted that regulates her insulin based on what her body needs and it has saved her life. She has grown and gotten married and had two children as the result of the excellent medicine in Germany. Thanks to the result of German research in this area without all the regulations there are here in America where it takes forever for the general public to be able to benefit from the discoveries. She has a much better chance of living longer there than she would have here and she is not stuck worrying about paying all those medical bills or if she can afford the latest innovations because of her income level.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Yes, but one of the first things that they'll do to "decrease military spending" is to have military members pay more for their benefits.

Unfortunately, none of us are exempt.

Yes, I have been reading about this, but considering the fact that we have paid no insurance premiums for 29 years, even the proposed increase for retirees is nothing.

I also have an issue with prescription plans that pay for Viagra but not birth control. Something really wrong with that situation!

You must have missed this recent news story:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4397244...t-cover-birth-control-no-copays/#.ToHpGdTXgrg

 

[canadianjovigirl]

Another Canadian who prefers our healthcare system, but admits not knowing all the ins and outs of the US system. I do know 2 friends who lived in the US and both developed cancer and had to return to Canada for free healthcare (canadian citizens) as they were a million dollars in debt and lost everything trying to fight it.

I also like the fact that everyone has access to care regardless of the insurance they have, occupation or bank account figures. Yes some people wait for certain tests/procedures if its not considered urgent, but i will gladly wait to have a mri on my knee and let the person needing a mri on their brain for suspected brain cancer have it done the same or next day (as was the case with my mother, but no cancer thank god). And having had a premature baby with a NICU stay i am also greatful that i did not have to incur that expense as it was already stressful and unexpected and financially difficult without worrying about a huge hospital bill or losing my house over.

I would love to move to the US for a mild climate, but dont think we could afford to live there full time so will stay put and settle with a vacation home somewhere warm..........

 

[mrodgers]

I think that the majority of Americans would love to have a National Health Care System that covered everyone, but the problem is that we just don't trust our government to run it efficiently and that is why most are vehemently opposed to it.

That's certainly one problem. The other problem is how things are voted for. In order for Jim to vote on the health care, this needs to be put into the bill which has nothing to do with health care. For John to vote, that needs to be put in which has nothing to do with health care. And it goes on and on and on until enough garbage is added in to get enough votes.

 

[PatsMom]

Nope - no food for thought. Having a baby is not required to LIVE - having chemo IS. The selfishness of people wanting an insurance company to cover fertility treatments is astonishing! The health care system is in bad shape and I can't justify spending money on such things when there are some who cannot even get basic care.

Cancer is expensive. I am fortunate that I have halfway decent insurance, but I still will reach my maximum out of pocket this year. And the co-pays continue. Again, I am fortunate that I can afford to pay those expenses. I think there needs to be some kind of separation of things that are necessary to basic health and life and those things that we have been conditioned to think of as psychologically necessary. Like genetic parenthood. I know a couple that chose to foster high risk babies when PCOS prevented pregnancy.

When I was told that I would never have children, I got a cat and a divorce. Very difficult time in my life but I survived. And ironically I did have a child several years later. I love her dearly but she was not necessary for me to go on living. The cancer treatmentsI receive are necessary.

There are some in my support group who don't have very good insurance. They manage by getting grants, paying out of savings. But the vast majority of them are on Medicare since bladder cancer is typically an older person's cancer. Getting it at 50 like I did is unusual.

Comparing the Canadian health system to ours is a little difficult to do. I found out on another thread that in addition to the costs covered directly by the government through tax payments, many Canadians have additional health insurance to cover the remainder of their costs. And also prescriptions. So I think you really have to look at the overall efficiency of the systems - they both work, they just work differently.